


Happy Accidents

by Satine86



Series: that modern AU [20]
Category: The Greatest Showman (2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-27
Updated: 2019-08-27
Packaged: 2020-09-27 13:40:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20408656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Satine86/pseuds/Satine86
Summary: Anne knew something was wrong even before her foot touched the floor. It was a simple leap in the middle of the routine. Easy. Or at least it should have been, but Anne’s jump was off and her foot didn’t land securely. Instead it rolled under her weight and sent her crashing to the floor like a ragdoll.Pre-Time to Pretend fluff.





	Happy Accidents

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, Carwheeler fandom. I have not been abducted aliens (that I know of), just hit a massive creative/motivation block. Now instead of going over WIPs I ended up writing this silly TTP outtake because it wouldn't leave me alone.

Anne knew something was wrong even before her foot touched the floor. It was a simple leap in the middle of the routine. Easy. Or at least it should have been, but Anne’s jump was off and her foot didn’t land securely. Instead it rolled under her weight and sent her crashing to the floor like a ragdoll. 

She hissed in pain as her elbow connected with the wood floorboards. As the pain subsided in her elbow, she became aware of a more persistent pain in her ankle. She shoved herself into a sitting position and tried to touch her ankle, only to wince in pain. 

The rehearsal had immediately halted, and Anne was now ringed by a crowd of worried dancers. W.D. was crouching beside her, trying to gauge how bad it was as their choreographer and director pushed their way through the dancers. There was another body worming its way through the group from backstage. Anne was vaguely aware of Phillip Carlyle joining everyone as W.D. attempted to rotate her ankle. 

“Ow!” She slapped at him to get him to let go. 

“Where’s Marta?” It was Mr. Carlyle who asked. Marta being the resident medic, physical therapist, and all around nursemaid to the performers. 

“Her daughter’s school called earlier, she had to leave because she was throwing up.” 

Mr. Carlyle pinched the bridge of his nose. “Obviously that’s important, but it’s helpful if you guys tell me this stuff when it happens. Come on,” he nodded to W.D. instead of waiting for anyone to reply. “Let’s get her backstage.”

Anne wanted to protest, to say that she was able to make her way on her own. But before she could say a word, she was hoisted up by both men with an arm slung over each of their shoulders. Her uninjured foot barely even touched the ground as they whisked her toward the changing rooms while the director called for everyone to return to their marks. 

Once safely out of the way, the men sat Anne down on her good foot and she hopped around gracelessly to sit on the bench in front of her locker. Mr. Carlyle kept an arm around her waist, a firm hand on her back he helped her to lower her down. 

W.D. hovered beside Anne, looking uncertain as what to do. She decided to save him from worrying too much.

“I’m fine, you go on back to rehearsal.” 

“Are you sure?” he asked. 

“Yes. It’s just a sprain, nothing serious.” 

“I’ll make sure she’s looked after.” Mr. Carlyle offered up a reassuring smile. 

If W.D. wanted to argue, he decided against it. They were both relatively new hires, after all, no point in both of them missing out on precious rehearsal time. So he placed a gentle hand on Anne’s shoulder before dropping a kiss to the top of her head, and leaving. 

“You don’t need to stay with me, Mr. Carlyle. I’m sure you have more important things to worry about.” 

“The performers health is a top priority. I can’t leave you here without at least assessing the damage.” He knelt down in front of her, motioned for her to give him her foot. “And you know one of these days I’m going to get you to call me ‘Phillip’ like everyone else.” 

“I’m sorry, consider it the Southern manners… Phillip.” 

“Progress.” He laughed. “Now let me look at your ankle.” 

She obliged him, and he took her heel gently and slid off her dance shoe and sock. To Anne’s eye it didn’t appear too swollen, and that was a good sign. She was surprised by how warm his hands were as he gently felt along her foot and ankle for anything wrong. Anne wasn’t really paying much attention to what he was doing, her mind wandering to places it shouldn’t, at least until he tried to rotate her ankle. It hurt, and she couldn’t hide a wince, but it wasn’t as painful as when W.D. had tried earlier. 

“You’re right, it seems to be a sprain.”

“How did you get so good at sports medicine?” 

“I’m not.” He stood up and moved to where the medical kit was kept. “I just know enough of the basics so as not to be completely useless.” He sat the kit down beside her. “I’m what they call a jack of all trades and master of none. At least when it comes to the theater.” 

“You sound busy.” Likely too busy to be taking care of her, but she wasn’t going to argue that point. Not with the boss. And especially not when she found herself enjoying his attention. 

“It keeps me out of trouble.” He shrugged and knelt before her once again, a length of bandage in hand to wrap her ankle. 

Once the wrapping was secured he straightened up and started rummaging around in the first aid kit again. Eventually he held out a bottle of ibuprofen to her and took a seat on the bench opposite her. Anne downed a couple of pills and hoped they would kick in soon. It didn’t hurt as much as it when it first happened, but she knew she was going to be sore sooner rather than later. 

“Thank you for looking after me, Phillip,” Anne forced herself to say. She was rewarded with a smile for her effort. 

“You’re welcome, Anne.”

It was impossible not to return his smile, and even more impossible not to be a little infatuated. Anne didn’t know Phillip all that well, but what she did know she liked. So far he seemed like a genuinely caring person, his insistence on taking care of her aside, and he was extremely well liked by everyone at the theater. Anne had decided she liked him too. Only now she was afraid that ‘like’ was turning into something else. Her hope was that the crush would fade in time, like they always did. It was just difficult to see an end to it when he kept smiling at her like that. 

“If I’m keeping you from work, I’m fine to wait by myself until W.D. finishes up.” 

“Want to know a secret?” he asked. Anne nodded. Phillip glanced toward the door before leaning forward, gesturing her to do the same. “You’re actually saving me from a whole lot of boredom.” 

“Am I?” Anne couldn’t help but laugh.

“Yeah, P.T. hasn’t gotten into too much trouble lately so there isn’t as much to do. I was finished with my work an hour after I got here this morning.” 

“Why are you still here then?” Anne was a little surprised, especially since he was technically the producer. It seemed like it would be so easy to cut and run if there was nothing to do. Although she was beginning to learn Phillip wasn’t your average producer.

“What would happen if someone needed me?” He gestured toward her foot. 

Phillip sat back and looked at her briefly, as if considering something. “You can say no, of course, but would you like to go grab a slice? I mean you have, what, an hour before W.D’s finished?” He glanced down at his watch. 

“A slice of what?” 

“Pizza.” He laughed. “There’s great spot around the corner if you want to hobble there?”

There were a multitude of reasons why she should decline the request, least of which was her embarrassing school girl crush. On her boss of all people. But he was in a good mood, smiling at her earnestly, with his startling blue eyes and the barely noticeable gap in his front teeth. All that and he was too handsome for his own good. Or hers. 

“You know what? Yeah, I’d love to get a slice.” Anne grinned at him before twisting around on the bench and opening her locker. While she put on her sneakers and coat, Phillip straightened up the first aid kit and returned it to its rightful place. 

Once Anne had gathered her things, she leveraged herself to her feet and tested her ankle. It was sore, but not enough she couldn’t put weight on it. 

“All right?” Phillip asked.

“Yup.” 

He watched her carefully as she made her slow way out of the changing rooms, before disappearing down the hall to retrieve his jacket from his office. Once they were both settled they exited the building out the side door. Phillip turned right, following the alleyway instead of left to the street. 

After a few steps he offered her his arm. “For stability,” he said. 

Anne gave him a grateful smile, and looped her arm through his. It was foolish, but nice nonetheless. They chatted amicably as they walked to their destination, and all through their meal of traditional New York pizza slices the size of her head and icy cold coke cola. 

If Anne didn’t know better she might have said it was the start of a friendship. It certainly wasn’t the end of her crush though.


End file.
